Nov 21, 2008 5:48 pm US/Pacific
Easily Find Traffic, Travel Info Online
(CBS)
True story - as I sat down to research a few great traffic and travel-info related websites, I get a call from a friend who is stuck in traffic on the freeway. He wonders if I could just look up some traffic info for him to see if an alternate route would be faster. I fire up Google Maps, click on "Traffic" and tell him that the heavy flow lets up in just a few miles - after that it's smooth sailing. Problem solved.
Problem is, you don't always have someone sitting at home on a computer, ready to call for help. Still, there are a few sites that can help you plan for traffic and check on that flight status or airport delay.
CBS 2 / KCAL9.comOur very own website has a lot of traffic info! There, you'll find instant traffic information, delays, the traffic situation along popular routes and even traffic cameras. Don't forget to check out Vera Jimenez's TimeSaver Traffic Blog - filled with tips and tricks for getting around smoothly.
http://cbs2.com/trafficVera Jimenez's TimeSaver Tips BlogCost To DriveEver wonder how much it's costing you in gas to drive somewhere? Thankfully, gas is a bit cheaper these days but it's still fun to see how much driving is. Just pop in your starting and ending address, plus the car you're driving and the site does the rest.
http://www.costtodrive.com/Maps and Traffic On Your MobileHere's a little known secret - your cell phone can double as a GPS navigation system! Most later models of cell phones include a GPS chip - you just have to download some software to the phone to turn it into a full-fledged navigation system. Check with your carrier for details. Some offer a flat-rate of $10 a month for unlimited use, others have daily use plans. The nav systems give you turn by turn directions, live traffic information and can even tell you the closest restaurants, cheapest gas nearby and more! For a free alternative, try Google Maps for your phone.
http://vznavigator.vzw.com/index.htmlhttp://www.wireless.att.com/source/connect/navigator/http://navigation.sprint.com/snweb/http://www.google.com/mobile/default/maps.htmlFlight TrackingWhenever I'm picking up someone from the airport, I always keep a window open on my computer tracking their flight. This way I can keep an eye on any potential delays. FlightAware has way more information than just your standard "delayed." You can watch a flight as it makes its way across the US, keeping track of how many miles to go, current flight speed and altitude. Of couse, it also tells you the estimated arrival time.
http://flightaware.com/live/Airport Delays
For information about what's going on at the airport you're flying in or out of, FlightStats can help. It gives you real-time information on delays and the reasons behind them.
http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airport/delays.do
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
